A Strong Person

Good morning.
Today is the junior high school entrance ceremony.

My second son is also wearing his school uniform, which he is not yet used to, and is a junior high student starting today.

Unlike when they were elementary school children, once they become junior high students, their bodies grow larger and their voices change. They start getting acne, and their frames become more defined.

I feel them climbing the stairs toward adulthood.
I wish for their growth in both mind and body.

That said, their lifestyle during spring break after graduation.
They studied and played basketball, and of course, there were areas where they worked hard.

Since I am currently being strict and abandoning housework, they have been trying to get through the 'household chores' while making a fuss among the siblings.

But, that is just like my second son.
Here and there, at key moments, he slips up or slacks off, and there are things that catch my eye.

The desire to play.
The desire to be lazy.
Even though it would be better to do what needs to be done first.

Their minds and bodies just won't move.

My eldest son, who serves as the 'Dad Tutor,' is the same.
This spring break, because they have plenty of time, they inevitably drift toward the easier path, toward sweet temptations.
Even though fun times pass in the blink of an eye, when they try to study, their hearts and minds just aren't in it.

Three articles on the topic of the 'Dad Tutor'.

At the start of the new school term and new life,
I had my sons sit at their desks and talked to them last night.

'Getting good grades, being smart, being good at sports, having a big, strong body—I think those are forms of strength too.
But, not just that,
I want you to become strong as a person.'

That is what I told them.

Of course, I believe that through studying and sports, they will learn and acquire 'strength as a person,' but
it is not something that can be measured only by grades or test scores.

Do not drift toward the easy path.
Do not be lenient with yourself.

The power to continue.
A heart that does not give up or break.
The power to see things through.

The power to move toward a goal.
An attitude of taking initiative and acting independently.

The strength to be kind to others and embrace them.
The strength to act for the sake of others.

I want you to become a person who possesses
that kind of 'strength as a person'.

That is what I told them.
Words like 'study hard' or 'train your body' are just steps on that path.

On the other hand, there was some happy news yesterday.

Yesterday, there was a prefectural tournament for an 'Opinion Presentation Contest' where a subordinate of mine from work had won through the city selection.

Representatives from every fire department in Fukuoka Prefecture participated to compete in their presentations.
I received a quick phone call saying that out of 24 participants, he had brilliantly won the top prize.

To think that a winner would come from our Kitakyushu City! I am very happy and proud of him as a colleague.

Even in the midst of being very busy, I believe he put in steady effort over a long period of time in his own way.
He had the entire five-minute speech memorized, and his expression and intonation were perfect.

Effort behind the scenes, effort over many long months.
As a result of that, he truly 'saw it through'.
He will now advance to the Kyushu tournament in two weeks.

I am sure this will be a great achievement for him, and above all, I believe it will become a successful experience that marks his growth.

I think this is something that has surfaced as a result of him cultivating that kind of 'strength as a person'.

While writing this article, I am also questioning and reflecting on myself.

'A strong person'
I want to be that way, even if just a little, and I want to spend my days looking forward and looking upward.

Thank you for watching again today.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read this article.

The illustration at the beginning is used with permission from Kakimochi | note. Thank you very much.

I have posted a few related articles here.

<Article from 'today' one year ago★>

<Article from 'today' two years ago★>